Mine-car coupling



M. MEERDO MINE CAR COUPLING June 3;, 192%. 1,496,553

Filed July 16 1920 Patented June 3, 1924.

MIKE MEEnDo, or MCDONALD, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIe-Noa or one-Harare WI LIAM ASH, or MCDONALD, PENNSYLVANIA.

MINE-CAR Application filed m 16,

To all 10/1 m it may concern:

Be it known that MIKE Mnnnno, citizen of the United States, residing at McDonald, State of Pennsylvania, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mine-Car Couplings, of which the following is a specifieation.

The present invention relatesto improve ments in car couplings and its main object it) aims to provide an improved device of this character wherein the coupling operation is automatic.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car coupling which when in an operative position will retain the coupled parts in a secure position and which can be released only by manipulation of the ope1-- ator.

A further object is to provide a coupling of simple construction and embodying but a few movable parts which, it is believed, may be manufactured and assembled at a reasonably low cost.

Various other objects and advantages of 25 my invention will become apparent during the continuance of the following description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing my invention as in its preferred embodiment.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective showing a part of one draw bar broken away to disclose the working parts of my invention.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the operating lever of the device.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of an operating spring.

In the drawings A and B represent the respective draw bars which in practice are carried in the usual manner on the cars to be coupled. Each draw bar is in turn provided with a reenforcing plate as indicated at C to eliminate wear at the end thereof.

In practice the draw bar Ais equipped with a yoke that is firmly secured in position at 11 and which extends beyond the free end of the draw bar as clearly shown in Figure 1. The opposite draw bar B is provided with a longitudinal cut-out portion 12 as clearly shown in Figure 2 in which is pivotally mounted as at 13 the body 14 of a hook having a retaining head 15. The front face of the head 15 slants upwardly and backwardly as at 16 to form COUPLING.

1920. Serial no. 396,833.

a slanting shoulderwhereas the rear face of the head is substantially perpendicular as indicated at 17 but forming a securing shoulder.

The operating spring 18 has its rear firmly secured to the under side of the draw bar B, as at 20 and spans the cut-out orslot in the draw bar, bearing upwardly against the bottom face of the hook 14. This spring normally supports the hook so that the head 15 thereofprojects upwardly beyond the draw bar and is tensioned to resist downward movement of the hook.

As shown in Figure 3 I also provide an operating member 21 that is positioned transversely of the slot in the draw bar B slightly behind the rear face of the head 15 and retained in such position by means of brackets 22. The handle portions 23 of the operating member 21 extends beyond the sides of the draw bar B so that they may be conveniently operated. At this time it may also be mentioned that the positioning of the operating member 21 as above stated will tend to limit the upward movement of the body 14 against the tension of the spring 18.

As will be observed upon reference to Figure 3, the operating member 21 is provided with oppositely extending lugs 24 which normally lie above the cut-away portion 12 of the draw bar B so that when the operating member 21 is turned either one of the lugs will engage the upper face of the hook 14 thus moving the body downwardly against the tension of the spring 18 and thereby lowering the head 15. It has also been found desirable to provide the draw bar B with a protecting bracket 25 having an opening 26 to receive the upper end of the head 15 when the latter is in normal position and which has its body portion 27 firmly secured to the draw bar as at 28.

From the above and upon reference to the drawings it will be observed that the coupling operation is entirely automatic. The yoke 10 engages the slanting face 16 of the head 15 forcing the head downwardly until it has passed over it. The head will then be moved back into its normal position by means of the spring 18 thus retaining the yoke 10 in the position shown in Figure 1.

either forwardly 0r baokwardly bringing one of the lugs 2a in engagement with the upper face of the hook lat which will in turn cause the head 15 to be moved downwardly thereby releasing the yoke 10 and allowing the cars to be uncoupled.

From the foregoing it is believed that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily understood and therefore further detailed description is deemed unnecessary.

What is claimed is:

A draw bar having a bifurcation in one end thereof presenting a vertically disposed slot, a hook having a flat vertically disposed body arranged to extend longitudinally of the said slot with its inner end pivotally supported therein and the outer end formed integrally with an upstanding retaining head extending outwardly from and terminating at a point above the top plane of the draw bar, a flat spring spanning the said slot on the under side of the draw bar with one end secured to the latter and the other bearing against the bottom edge of the hook body and yieldably supporting the latter against movement downwardly thru the slot, a flat bracket strip spanning the said slot on the upper side of the draw bar with one end secured to the latter and the other end extending upwardly and forwardly for extension above the head of the said hook and presenting an opening to receive the upper end of the head, and a rotatable operating rod spanning the slot transversely of the draw bar and between the upper edge of the hook body and the extended end of the bracket, said rod having portions engageable with the hook body to depress the hook upon turning of the said rod.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MIKE MEE'RDO. 

